Ahab and Jezebel: Difference between revisions

|title=Ahab and Jezebel

|Period=The Divided Kingdom era (circa 9th century BC)

|Major achievements =Promotion of Baal worship and training of Baal prophets<br>Killing of God’s prophets<br>Seizure of Naboth’s vineyard

}}

==Historical Background==

==Main Events==

===Baal and Asherah Worship===

===Elijah’s Rebuke and the Confrontation at Mount Carmel===

As Israel fell into idolatry under the influence of Ahab and Jezebel, the prophet [[Elijah]] confronted Ahab, rebuking him and prophesying, “There will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2017%3A1&version=NIV |title=1 Kings 17:1 |quote= }}</ref> Following this prophecy, northern Israel suffered from famine and drought.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+17%3A7&version=NIV |title=1 Kings 17:7 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref>

===Naboth’s Vineyard Incident ===

In [https://www.britannica.com/place/Jezreel-ancient-city-Israel Jezreel], there lived a man named Naboth. He owned a vineyard near the palace of King Ahab, who desired to turn it into a vegetable garden. When Ahab proposed to buy the vineyard, Naboth refused, citing God’s commandment that forbids the sale of ancestral inheritance. This refusal greatly distressed Ahab, leading him to lie down on his bed and refuse to eat.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+21%3A4&version=NIV |title=1 Kings 21:4 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> Upon learning of this situation, Jezebel devised a plot to forcibly take Naboth’s vineyard.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+21%3A7&version=NIV |title=1 Kings 21:7 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref>

When Ahab heard the news that Naboth was dead, he went down to take possession of his vineyard.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+21%3A16&version=NIV |title=1 Kings 21:16 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> There, the prophet Elijah was waiting for Ahab to deliver God’s message to him. Elijah prophesied the horrific deaths of Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. He declared that dogs would lick Ahab’s blood and consume Jezebel.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+21%3A17-25&version=NIV |title=1 Kings 21:17–25 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref>

===The Death of Ahab===

Ahab and Jezebel arranged the marriage of their daughter Athaliah to Jehoram, the son of King [[Jehoshaphat]] of [[Southern Kingdom of Judah|Judah]]. Ahab welcomed Jehoshaphat warmly when he visited the northern kingdom of Israel, hosting a grand feast with many sheep and oxen. During this visit, Ahab urged Jehoshaphat to join him in reclaiming [https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Ramoth-Gilead Ramoth Gilead], a territory that had been taken by the Arameans.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+18%3A2&version=NIV |title=2 Chronicles 18:2 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> In response to his proposal, Jehoshaphat sought the will of God,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+18%3A3-4&version=NIV |title=2 Chronicles 18:3–4 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> prompting Ahab to summon the prophets. The 400 false prophets prophesied that Ahab would be victorious.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2018%3A5&version=NIV |title=2 Chronicles 18:5 |quote= }}</ref> However, the prophet Micaiah, who conveyed God’s true message, warned that Ahab would die in this battle.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2018%3A18-22&version=NIV |title=2 Chronicles 18:18-22 |quote= }}</ref> Displeased by his warning, Ahab imprisoned him and proceeded with the campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+22%3A29&version=NIV |title=1 Kings 22:29 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref>

===The Demise of Jezebel and the House of Ahab===

After Ahab’s death, his eldest son, Ahaziah, ascended to the throne of northern Israel. However, he reigned for only two years before succumbing to a terminal illness, leaving no offspring. His younger brother, Joram, succeeded him as king. During this time, Jehu, who had been the commander of Ahab’s army and was serving under Joram, was anointed by [[Elisha]] to carry out a mission: the complete destruction of the house of Ahab.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+9%3A6-8&version=NIV |title=2 Kings 9:6–8 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> Jehu became king of northern Israel and executed Joram, Judah’s king Ahaziah (Athaliah’s son), Jezebel, Ahab’s seventy sons, and all who belonged to Ahab’s household. Jezebel met a gruesome end in Jezreel, where she was thrown from a window and died. Dogs devoured her body to such an extent that no trace of her corpse remained.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+9%3A30-37&version=NIV |title=2 Kings 9:30–37 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref>